Noisy speakers when SN3 is turned on

Hello everybody,
I am just new hear because using my SN3 just since two days.
Unfortunately I am not happy by 100% due to the fact that I have an issue. I also know that kind of it or related topics have been discussed already but I am not sure respectively still have not found the right solution.

I am using the SN3 together with a Rega Planar6 an AirPort Express (as streamer) and just a normal more or less cheap CD player.
My power plug in is an Atlas EOS because need to change from British plug (the included one) to European (Austrian).
My speakers are Elac 213-4Ohm. Speakers are connected with Oehlbach twin mix one B 300.

Unfortunately my speakers are buzzing as soon as I plug in cd-player or Airport to the line in. The record player (rega planar) makes less noise but still. When mute is on everything is fine.

Turning the volume up the buzzing is getting stronger.

Never heard ist with my previous Systems always been cheaper like denon etc.

I am pretty down at the moment because of spending a lot and getting buzzy speakers instead. :cry:

I would really appreciate it a lot for easy to handle solutions.

It sounds like you have an earth loop. This is not so unusual where you have a properly earthed amp like the Supernait (rather than one that floats the mains earth, which you normally find with cheap consumer kit). What it means is that sometimes when you plug in kit with a floating earth, it then looks for a path to earth, usually through an interconnect to the amp, hence the hum. Ways around this are to use a ground loop isolator, or else ground the offending item some way (there are some past threads here that go into this). I would suggest you speak with your dealer as itā€™s almost certainly something they have experience with and thatā€™s all part of the service in helping sort things like this out with the customer.

As an aside, are you connecting the Airport Express directly via analogue to the Supernait? I would suggest using a DAC - even an inexpensive one should give you much better results.

2 Likes

As Richard says an earth loop (or ground loop).
A friend had this same issue and in the end, I simply ran a cable from the metal case of his DVD / CD player to the earth pin of a power socket.
In the UK, the actual power outlet fixing screws are earthed / grounded.
Needless to say, if youā€™re not sure which pin is the earth pin, donā€™t do it.
Otherwise, an earth loop isolator will do the trick.
Amazon / eBay and such like sell them. Just search for ā€œground loop isolator RCAā€.

1 Like

Thanks Richard for your reply on that,
concerning the earth thing I have read some inputs here but didnā€˜t understand how and what to do.

I have purchased my sn3 from a private person - itā€™s still under guarantee but he even bought ist from an English dealer.
I think my Austrian dealer will not help therefore.

Yes my AirPlay is connected to the chinch (analog). How does a DAC look like.

Sorry I am quite a rookie within high end topics and therefore might ask stupid/strange questions but want to get into it.

Thank you and best regards,
Wolfgang

Thanks Blythe,
actually I have just disconnected all line in parts and there ist still noise via speakers although a bit less. :frowning:
That tells more or less that itā€™s not about the airport or cd player right?

BR Wolfgang

Does the buzzing also get stronger when you turn the volume up when everything else except the speaker cables is disconnected? Could you try another power outlet in another room?

Something like that?

1 Like

Do you buzzing on all the inputs even with no source connected?

If so, then try the Shucko plug on your Atlas mains cable round the other way.

I donā€™t believe your assumption that itā€™s not the CD player or Airport is correct.
I am not familiar with European power sockets and not sure if you have an earth / ground pin in Austria.
The earth / ground of the equipment is, I believe, of utmost importance.
Buzzing without anything connected, suggests that there could be an issue somewhere else but not neccessarily.
However, I am sure that connecting an un-earthed CD player will cause a loud buzzing.
I think that the Airport Express has a digital output as well as the analogue one. If you were to connect this digital feed to a DAC (digital to analogue converter) this will de-couple the Airport from the SuperNait3 and avoid buzz.
Otherwise, use a ground loop isolate on each connected device. They are cheap :slight_smile:

Exactly the kind of device Iā€™m talking about.

1 Like

I have tried that with no change.

Thank you!

So, you get a loud buzzing through the speakers through any input you select even with no sources whatsoever connected to the Supernait, yes?

If there is a loud buzzing with nothing connected, could something else be introducing the noise?
Maybe an energy saving lightbulb, cordless telephone base station, wi-fi router, TV or another device nearby?

Hi Richard,
well, if no source is connected an volume is at 12 oā€˜clock you can hear the buzz (more signal like) on all channels (itā€™s not loud) and it starts to get heared at a third of volume but always louder on the phono channel of course.

If you put the volume up top you hear it quite prominent and on phono it even sounds like a mixture of a signal incl strong ā€žwindā€œ.

OK thanks. That may well be normal as thereā€™s no source connected, in particular no earthed source with signal earth connected as you would normally have in a Naim system.

Iā€™m guessing you donā€™t have a Naim source handy that you could connect up via DIN interconnect just to test?

I had buzzing some years a go when I changed my amp. Changing all my interconnects to shielded ones solved the problem.

Look at this Massive sudden hum - frightening! - #15 by james_n

Are you certain that the mains plug is wired correctly, with positive and negative connected to the right pins, and the earth wire connected to the earth pin?

The OP is in Austria HH.

Those work but they will definitely hurt dynamics since they are on the line signal, itā€™s best to avoid them wherever possible and fix it at the source of the problem.

(iā€™ve used one in an office building where i couldnā€™t fix the electricity, it definitely reduced the low hum but also removed some of the treble/sparkle in the process)

1 Like